He Knows What He's Doing!

I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out --- plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. Jeremiah 29:11 (The Message)

I cannot get this scripture out of my head! Thank the Lord for His Word and thank you, Barbara, for sharing this translation of the verse.

It has rejuvenated my spirit and helped carry me since I heard it, especially now as Michael and I anxiously look heavenward and try to see what God is doing concerning our family. We have experienced some tough times as we have sought to follow the Lord and establish a new ministry, but we cannot deny the wonderful change we see in our hearts and minds, marital relationship and family. We were talking just yesterday about how what we've been through, although trying, has so tremendously strengthened our mission, message, walk and talk for Him.

However, back to this word that Barbara helped embed in my spirit... I feel like, finally, my "walk is tight," so I can't help sometimes but wonder what the holdup is concerning the provision for this vision that God has given my husband and I concerning our minstry, marriage, and family. But lately, every time I want to wonder about the "when?" and the "how?" I remember this in-my-face translation of Jeremiah 29:11. It was already one of my very favorite scriptures anyway, but the Lord used Barbara to help me really hear what He is saying.

That shared, I now need to ask you to please stand in agreement with me through prayer.

I had the blessing recently of having some money come in to my hands. The Holy Spirit had been speaking to me about it and telling me the money was to be a first fruit offering. I was excited about the opportunity to be able to give such an offering, as in the past I didn't really understand the significance of this offering but had recently had it explained through some awesome Bible studies and Christian financial education classes.

I didn't have any idea what the amount would be, but determined to give it whether it was $10, $100, or $1000. (NOTE: We needed the money in our household, whether it was $10, $100, or $1000. I wasn't sure if it was exactly the right thing to do at the time, but I did not share with my husband what the Holy Spirit had shared with me because I did not want to be talked or rationalized in to bringing the money to the household now and giving a different first fruit offering later. I am a submissive wife but God's desires trump hubby's, always).

When I received the money it turned out to be almost the exact amount of money we needed for a bill that needed to be paid THAT DAY. However, I decided to trust that God knows what He's doing and took the money and went straight to our sister church and mentor, Bishop Reece. He travels a lot and I really didn't expect to see him or his wife who is also a pastor, but I determined to leave the money with a note on the inside asking him to pray Proverbs 3:9-10 in agreement with us. He is a man who believes God's principles work when you apply them so I knew I could trust him to pray with us. But, glory to God, Bishop Reece was there and prayed with me agreeing in prayer, establishing by our earthly dominion God's will for our family here on earth, and speaking the blessing of the first fruit offering in to our lives.

When I got home and shared with Michael what I had done, he blessed my action as I hoped he would. We have, for the last several years, always needed at home whatever money had come our way and had not yet had the knowledge (combined with the opportunity to) put our faith in to action in such a way so I was very relieved that he was able to stand with me in spite of the pressure of needing the money right then.

We have not yet seen the glorious increase and multiplication that is ushered in by a first fruit offering. But we know that the Lord's Word is true and that He is true to His Word. Please stand with us in agreement (Proverbs 3:9-10 and Romans 11:16) for His promised change in our life.

Thank you and bless you,

Theresa

(first-time blogger, long-time LLOP blog reader)